


bruise

by mooselady



Category: Ava's Demon
Genre: Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Blood and Injury, Blood and Violence, F/M, Roommates, written for scaredcoffeebean's shitty roommates au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-11
Updated: 2015-03-11
Packaged: 2018-03-17 10:43:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3526310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mooselady/pseuds/mooselady
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Odin gets into a fistfight with their neighbor Pedri</p>
            </blockquote>





	bruise

**Author's Note:**

> [The alternative title for this was “Odin’s Really Awful Day” or “Odin Gets His Shit Wrecked”. But yeah, I’ve been thinking about this story and here’s my attempt at it. The shitty roommates au actually reminds me of bits and pieces of my own personal experiences. Those memories were honestly some of the happiest times of my life and I’m glad I’m able to share them through story telling. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this!]
> 
> [[This song](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcDd7NQXHHI) helped me write this- it’s a quiet, sad instrumental but it’s perfect for dark nights.]
> 
>  
> 
> [magpielady.tumblr.com](https://magpielady.tumblr.com/)

"L-listen, I’m telling you, there was enough r-room on the door for Jack," Odin stated, pressing his foot on the brake and slowing the car to a halt. The red light from above glowed in the darkness of the night. 

"There’s no way," Ava countered from the passenger seat. "That door could _not_ have held the both of them.”

The light turned green. Hand on the wheel, his arm relaxed on the window sill, Odin pressed against the gas, moving the car into motion once again. 

Odin continued incredulously. 

"R-Rose could’ve just moved over s-some?"

"But it couldn’t support both of their weight!" Ava retaliated, throwing her hand out passionately. 

"That door w-was big enough f-for _both_ Rose and Jack.”

Ava stared at him, her mouth tightened in a thin line.

"We’re watching Titanic again, and I’m going to show you that there was absolutely no room on that door,” she stated. 

Odin flipped his turn signal, slowing down as he wheeled the car into the apartment parking lot. 

"Alright," he chuckled. 

The boy pivoted the vehicle into its usual spot. 

However, it seemed they weren’t alone. 

The car’s headlights fell on none other than their neighbor, Pedri Nanezgani, who plucked the cigarette out of his mouth and flicked it on the ground, rubbing it into the asphalt with his foot. 

"Jesus Ch-Christ," Odin breathed, slamming the brake forcefully in surprise.

Ava was thrust forward, her hair falling over her face. 

They sat there in startled silence, staring at the giant man. Arms crossed, eyes fixed in a venomous glare, his stance was nothing short of intimidating.

Odin turned the car off, unbuckled his seatbelt, and opened the door. 

" _What are you doing?_ " Ava hissed. She grabbed Odin’s sleeve, tugging him back. 

"I’m ending t-this," he said. He saw the apprehensive look in her eyes.

"J-Just stay in the c-car, okay?"

He scooted out, shut the door, and approached the much taller man. 

Ava huffed a stray piece of hair out of her face, mimicking the older boy’s voice, “ _Just stay in the car_.” She looked up at the fluorescent light coming from the parking lot’s light pole. A hoard of moths flew about it in a sporadic frenzy.

She couldn’t make out what they were saying exactly, but she could tell by their faces that it wasn’t the most friendly conversation. Odin’s jaw clenched, his hands on his hips, then he crossed them over his chest. 

There was an abrupt pause. Ava tensed up, watching as Pedri smirked. 

In one swift motion, he cocked his arm back and landed a forceful punch straight to the younger boy’s jaw. 

Ava let out a scream, covering her mouth, as Odin tumbled back, hunched over and holding his face. Almost instantly, he took a step forward, swinging his closed fist at Pedri. 

Ava started scrambling herself to unbuckle her seatbelt, her skin going cold as she saw the scuffle continue in her peripherals. 

Unbuckling the seatbelt, she tried jerking the door open. It wouldn’t budge. She looked up to see Pedri grab the back of Odin’s shirt and throw him to the ground. 

She jostled the lock, rushing to open the door, and accidentally locked herself in again. She shrieked in frustration, finally unlocking the contraption, and used her foot to push the door free. 

The tiny girl stormed towards the brawl, just as Pedri administered another kick to the boy who laid on his side defensively. 

" **STOP!** " Ava cried. She rushed in front of Pedri, placing her hands on the massive man’s torso and shoving him with all her might. 

Pedri halted, his body going rigid. He backed off. 

Ava shouted, “Go! Get away!” Her voice was strained, adrenaline coursing through her veins. 

Their neighbor staggered, taking another step backwards as Ava screamed out a final, “ **Go away!** ”

Pedri turned and stalked off into the shadows. 

Shaking, Ava spun to the dark-haired boy who laid on the ground. He was covering his nose with his hands, his eyes closed tightly shut. 

Ava dropped to her knees, a muffled “ _Oh no_ " escaping her mouth.

"Are you okay?" she asked. 

Odin opened his watery eyes, furrowing his brow in an expression that said, ‘ _Do I look okay?_ ' The corner of his eye was already red and puffy. A small tear in the skin was evidence enough that it would develop into a nasty bruise. 

She reached out to peel his hand off his face, sucking in her breath sharply at the sight before her. 

His nose was gushing blood, flowing from both a deep gash at the bridge, and from his nostrils. It ran down his mouth, dripping from his chin unto his neck. 

Ava looked around in a panic, unsure of what to do. Gil would know what to do, but he was on a mission trip with his youth group. Even Maggie would take control of the situation, but she was also out of town with her theater club. Ava’s eyes burned at the brim with tears, but she forcefully drew back her emotions. Now was not the time, she decided. 

"Let’s get you inside," she stated, trying to control her wavering voice.

Getting the much taller boy off the ground was a strenuous task. He lifted himself up, before crying out in pain, eyes wide in shock. The boy gripped at his side, clinging to Ava as she helped him stand up. After a colorful string of swears that would put any sailor to shame, they were finally able to stagger off. 

When they reached the bottom of the stairs that led to their floor, Odin reached out and took hold of the railing, breathing heavily. 

Ava looked up at the boy. His blood covered his face, dark and gleaming in the unnatural light of the fluorescents. 

"Can you make it?" she asked. 

He nodded. 

He took the first step, inhaling sharply, wincing at the pain in his side. Ava clutched her grip around his waist tighter, placing her other hand on his sternum to steady him. 

Slowly but surely, they reached the top of the stairs. Odin reached into his pocket, taking out his keys, a slight tremor to his hand. He leaned on Ava as he stuck the key in place, unlocking their apartment door. 

Once they stepped inside, Ava flipped on the overhead light. She was all motion, breaking from Odin’s side and going into the bathroom to rummage for any first aid. 

He exhaled a labored breath, gripping the dining-table chair for support and staring at the ground. A drop of blood dribbled down his chin and landed with a plop on the carpet.  
The pain in his side ached, matching the sting at the top of his nose. 

Ava stepped out from the bathroom, walking quickly past Odin, to the cabinet over the washing machine in search of towels. She grabbed an entire stack, reaching out and touching Odin by the arm. 

"Can you follow me?" she questioned. Odin saw the worry in her eyes, and with a brave face he answered, "Y-yeah." He straightened himself, biting back the urge to yell out in reaction to the movement, and followed the small girl into the bathroom. 

She directed him to sit on the toilet seat. He did so accordingly, lowering himself with quiet apprehension. 

Once in the light of the bathroom, Ava could fully assess the injuries. The bruise brandished between his brow and eyelid was turning into a magnificent array of purples, tiny specks of bright red decorating the injury. Another contusion colored the outline of his jaw. The most troubling injury was the source of the blood, at the top of his nose. The blood ran down his face, over the lump of his throat, and collected at the front of his shirt, staining it a bright, intense violet. The boy’s eyes met Ava’s own gaze. She saw the defeat in him, the disconcerted scowl of being humiliated. He was silent, and she knew he closed-up like this when his pride was shattered.

Ava wet a washcloth under the sink’s faucet, then placed it gently at the top of his nose. He closed his eyes, his face tightening at the contact, letting her dab at the wound. 

"Oh no,” she said in a hushed whisper. Odin looked at her in alarm. 

"W-what?" he asked, nervous at her disturbed expression. 

The redhead drew back, biting her knuckle, before answering, “I think your nose is broken.”

Odin’s eyelids closed in resignation, answering her with a throaty sigh. 

Ava quickly intervened, “But it really doesn’t look that bad!”

He just stared, eyes half-lidded, at the girl. 

"Maybe we should go to the hospital?" she proposed. 

Odin’s stare rolled off to the side, his mouth in a tight frown. 

"I c-can’t," he simply stated. 

She furrowed her brow in confusion. “What? Why?” 

"B-because…" the older boy started. He shifted around uneasily. "I-If I go to the hospital, Olai will f-find out, and…"

He trailed off, taking in a shaky breath, and continued, “I j-just c-can’t, okay.”

Ava nodded. She remembered Odin talking about his brother before, although he was typically vague on the subject. He seemed to mention Olai in high respect, but there was always that hint of fear. With Odin, there was a troubled struggle for separation of his life at the apartment, and his life with his family. 

"Should I, um…" Ava began, "should I break it back into place?"

Odin’s face twisted in distress. 

"Or not, maybe not!" she reiterated, waving out her hands. 

The dark-haired boy let out a heavy sigh, grimacing at the painful twinge in his rib-cage. 

"J-Just do it," he murmured, obvious defeat in his tone.

Ava gulped. She placed the washcloth on the counter, trying to control her shakiness as she pressed one hand on either side of the boy’s nose.

Odin’s heart pounded in his chest, making his vision swim. He asked worriedly, “Do y-you know how to do th-this?”

Ava’s skin prickled in a cold sweat. “No?” she answered.

He only stared straight ahead, nodding slightly, and dead-panned, “I’m going to f-fucking die.”

They were still as Ava shifted her weight from one foot to the other, applying pressure to either side of his nose. 

"On three, okay?" she bidded. 

"Okay," he affirmed. 

"One…two…"

Ava instantly snapped the bone sharply to the left, forcing her right hand downwards to straighten it out.

The reaction was instantaneous as Odin cried out and Ava pulled her hands back in shock. 

He leaned forward with his chest against his knees, hands covering his nose. Ava couldn’t make out his yowls of pain but there was undoubtedly a lovely assortment of “fucks” thrown in there.

"T-t-three!" he howled. "Y-You s-said _three_!”

"I said ‘three’ and I did it on three!" Ava retorted in bewilderment and worry. 

All she could hear was his muffled sounds of anguish. He scraped the bottom of his boots against the bathroom rug, causing it to bunch against the toilet. 

Finally, with a shudder, he looked up, eyes wet. 

Ava covered her mouth with her hand. “I’m so sorry,” she breathed, placing her other hand over her heart. 

He rasped out a throaty, “It’s okay.” He faced away, wiping at the budding tears with the sleeve of his shirt. Clearing his throat, the boy turned back to her, and forced a small smile. He preceded to stand up, faltering a bit, which caused Ava to rush forward and dive underneath his arm, lifting him up with her shoulder. 

They walked out of the bathroom together; Odin motioning towards his own bedroom. 

Inside, he brushed his finger over the light-switch, illuminating the typically dim room. Clothes were strewn all about the floor. A few sketches of city-scapes were pinned on the wall. A cold cup of neglected black coffee sat forgotten on the top of his dresser. 

The taller boy sat on the end of his bed, shoulders hunched and chin tilted. The shadows of the overhead light displayed his injuries even more ominously, the dark blues and purples standing out against the paleness of his face. There was always a size difference between the two, that much was obvious. But now, after what had happened, Ava thought to herself just how small Odin looked, and not in the physical sense. Small in that they really were just two kids trying to make ends meet, in a place where peace and security was always ‘we’ll get there, _eventually_.’ Then ‘eventually’ turns into weeks, then months, then years. 

Growing up is harsh, and sometimes, just plain cruel. 

Odin curled his hands around the hem of his shirt, attempting to pull it up. He cringed, exhaling painfully. 

Ava stepped closer, asking, “Do you need help?”

He closed his eyes, simply nodding. He let his roommate pull up the fabric, his own arms lifting as Ava reached around and raised the shirt up his back. Her shoulder was pressed against his mouth, and he could breathe in her scent. She always wore the same flowery perfume; her hair smelled like poppies and rosemary and lavender and that sensation alone was enough for him to feel safe, to feel like he was home. She was warm and alive and his throat felt raw because he _wanted_ to say it but the words just wouldn’t come out. 

She lifted the shirt over his head, and he bent his arms inwards to free himself. Ava held the blood-caked shirt in her hands, stepping back. Her eyes fell to his rib-cage and she leaned in closer, staring. 

Odin followed her gaze, only to see a massive, purple bruise covering the side of his ribs. The middle was yellow, freckled with twisting shapes of fading red. It was a blatant sign of broken ribs. 

Odin intervened just as Ava was about to say something.

"I c-can’t go to the hospital," he refuted quietly. His look was pleading, desperate even. 

"I understand, but what if this is serious?" she implored. 

"It doesn’t m-matter."

Ava bit her bottom lip, unconvinced. 

"Stay w-with me tonight," he said softly.

"You mean, share a bed?" she asked. 

He swallowed, blinking quickly. 

"Y-Yeah."

———————————————————————-

After Ava had put on her pajamas, an old t-shirt and sweatpants, she crawled into Odin’s bed, pushing back the covers. 

The mattress was sunken in the middle, causing her weight to shift inwards, so her shoulder was pressed against her roommate’s shoulder. They laid silently for a minute, listening to the ebb of nighttime traffic outside the apartment complex. 

Ava’s face burned when he shifted around, his hip brushing against her hand. 

"S-Sorry we didn’t watch Titanic again," he said quietly.

The redhead tried to stifle an incredulous laugh. 

She rolled her head to look at him. 

"Are you serious? You got mauled by our gargantuan neighbor, and you’re thinking about Titanic?" she mused. 

She saw the shadowy outline of his lips draw into a smile. 

Ava spoke softly through her own smile, “Go to sleep.” She rolled unto her side, pressing her back against the boy.

The dull ache still pulsed in his ribs, making it too difficult for him to move. He laid there, feeling the heat of the girl warm against his injury.

"Goodnight, Ava," he spoke aloud in that gentle night.

"G’night Odin," she echoed.

The tranquility of the apartment lulled the pair to sleep, letting them drift off somewhere between white sheets and dusty ceiling fans.


End file.
